Filling-exhaustion-indicating mechanism for looms.



A. E. RHOADES.

FILLING EXHAUSTION INDIOAIING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 26, 1908.

Patented Feb. 9, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

- A. E. RHOADES. FILLING EXHAUSTION INDIOATING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 26, 1908.

912,26%, Patented Feb. 9, 1909.

mums-311mm. v

' Jlln UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALONZO' E. RHOADES, OF HOPEDALE,MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO-DRAPER COMPANY,

- OF 'HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION F MAINE.

FILLING-EXHAUSTION-DTDICATING mcHAnIsM FOR Looms.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb/e, 1e09.'

Application filed August 26, 1908. Serial No. 450,308.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be 1t known that I, ALONZO E. RHOADES,

a citizen of the United States, and'resident of .Hopedale, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Filling-ExhaustiOrr-Indicating Mech-' anism for Looms, of which the following deseription, in connection with the accOmpa-' nying draw ng, is a specification, 11 kc characters on the drawing representing like parts. Thls invention 'applies partieulary to looms provided with mechanism to replenish automatically the filling in the running shuttleprior to its complete exhaustion, inorder that there shall be no blank or short picks:

in the cloth being woven, the invent-ion hevmg for its object the production of certain novel features of construction andarrangement in the so-oclled feeler inec-hanism,

which by its intermittent cooperation with the filling in the running shuttle effects the change in the operation of the loom suchas the replenishment of the running filling.

In my present invention 'my improvements are-embodied in that type of feeler mechenism wherein a feeler and a feelergovernor are provided, both of'which enterthe shuttle to cooperate with the filling therein, the feeler being movable with and also relatively to the feeler-governor, a feelerlock actingnormally to lock the feeler from relative movementuntil ebout the "time filling replenishment is called for.

The. broad combination of the feeler and feelergovernor, and a feeler-lock tonormally lock the feeler from its functional movement,

is not claimed by mess the same is not of my invention.

The various novel features of my invention will be fully described in the subjoined s )ecification and particularly pointed out in the following claims.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one end of. the lay bf a loom with a shuttle-box thereon,

with filling exhaustion indicating mechanism embodying my invention, the arts bein shown in normal condition and with the ay about to beat up; Fig. 2 is {thefthzm d side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig.1, and partly in section on the line 2 2, Fig.1; Fig. 3 is an enlorgedplan view of the feeler mechanism Show n in Fig. 1, but

' the feeler-governor.

I t below theline 3+3, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an inner side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3. Fig; 5 is an outer side elevation of such mechanism; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional detail of the feeler-lock and the hearing therefor, on the line 6-6, Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken on the line 77, Fig. 3, looking toward the left, through the feeler-lock, feeler, and the adjacent part of A is the lay, havin .with a. removable filling-carrier or bobbin D, andin Fig. 3 the filling D is shown as approaching exhaustion.

Fig; 2, to register with the aperture hin the front plate of the box B when the shuttle is ing the aperture and slot to cooperate with the filling in the shuttle as the lay beats up.

Upon the extension E of thebreast-beam is securely bolted at 1 the slotted foot 2 of anupturned. bracket 3 rearwardly extended at its upper end to form an overhangin portion 4 having parallel checks 5, see ig. 1',

crum'or pivot-pin 6, secured to or forming a part of an upturned arm 7. I At the inner-side of the bracket the arm is its other end fixed to the bracket, the win".-

'ing of the spring being such that forward movement of the arm and attached ports is against the stress of the spring.

tzd fulcrum T on the extension E, the outer end of the transmitter having a forwardly extended slotted cam-portion T all substantially as in United States Patent No. 789471,

a shuttle-box B in which is shown a shutt e C, Fig. 1, provided The shuttle has a slot c in its front Wall,

provided with a boss 8 and at the fouter side 7O boxed, the feeler and feeler-governor ente'rwhich provide a horizontal bearing for a'ful- Fig. 1, secured at one end to the pin'b end at.

A transmitter T is' mounted on a horizongranted to ood & Northrop May 9, 1905.

Rocking of the transmitter by the operation of the feeler device causes the actuation of a filling-replenishing mechanism, as in said atent, such mechanism and its operation eingwell known in the art and requiring no further description or illustration herein.

A controller t ivoted at t to swing in a substantially horizontal path, is extended at its outer end through the slotted cam portion T of the transmitter and is normally maintained in its rearward position, Fig.1, by a spring't as in the atent referred to, the controller extending t rough a slotted guide 13 on the bracket foot 2, and being provided at its free end with an upturned and rather long beveled lug t When the outer end of the controller is moved forward by the operation of the feeler device, as will be explained it acts through the part T to rock the transmitter on its fulcrum T, and thereby cause replenishment of filling in the running shuttle, as in the Wood & Northrop patent referred to.

The upturned arm 7 forms part of a carrier or feelerovernor upon which the feeler is mounted, t e lower art of the arm being laterally and rearward yextended, as at 14,

I to constitute a feeler-governor which is adapted to enter the shuttle and cooperate with the filling. therein, the arm at its base extending rearward part way toward the extremity of the part 14, as at 15, and forming one side of a bearing, the other side of the bearing being formed at 16, Figv 7, by a part of the casting constituting the carrier.

Herein I have shown the feeler as a lever having a short, rearwardly extended arm 17, a long and forwardly extended arm 18 provided with a V-shaped notch 19 in its front end, and a depending hub 20, Fig. 5, the arms being in different parallel planes and laterally offset, and connected by the part 21. The feeler is conveniently made as a forging, and it is pivotally mounted on the carrier by means of an upright fulcrum stud 22 extended down through the hub 20 and screwed into the portion 14 of the feeler-governor or carrier, so that the feeler is movable therewith and also relatively movable thereto on the stud 22 as a fulcrum.

When the feelcr is swung on such fulcrum from its normal position, Figs. 1 and. 3, into position to register with the lug 25*, the bodily forward movement of the feeler with the over head-suspended carrier will effect the opera tion of the controller t, the length of the lug t maintaining engagement with the feeler arm 18 as the latterrises with the forward swing.

, The impinging faces of the feeler-governor and feeler are indicatedat 14 17*, Fig. 3, the'latter face projecting farther back than the face 14* whenthe feeler is locked.

The action 'of the filling in the working shuttle upon the feeler device effects the forward swing of the carrier and the parts thereon, against the stress of the spring 12, and as the momentum of said parts might produce an undesirable shock or jarring I provide an auxiliary spring 23, Figs. 1 and 2, made in the form of a long loop with spring coils, and fixedly attached to an car 24 of the bracket, the free end of the loop extending above the stop lug 10. As the carrier swings forward the lug hits the loop of the auxiliary spring, the lattertliu s acting in addition .t o

the Spring 12 o resistthe forwardswingjand taking any Shock, Preventing he stop lu 10 from being brought up with a sudden j erlr against the upper end of the slot 11. On the return or backward swing the auxiliary spring acts only during the first part of such movement, as will be obvious from Fig. 2.

The part 14 of the feelengovernor and the arm 17 of the feeler lie side by side and inter mittingly enter the shuttle as the lay beats up, the filling on the bobbin impinging upon the normally locked feeler and moving it and the feeler-governorforWard as a unit, there being no relative movement of the feeler until the filling in the shuttle approaches exhaustion.

The feeler-lock is herein shown as a slidebar 25, Fig. '6, having upturned ends 26, 27 and mounted to slide longitudinally in the bearing on the feeler-governor formed between the walls 15, 16, the end 26 being nor- -mally engaged by the lateral extension 28 on the feeler arm 18, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

A downhold 29 issecured by-screw 30 to the wall 15 above the bar 25, to hold the feeler-lock in position and also to support one end of a spring 31, Fig. 6, the other end of the spring bearing against the rear end 27 of the lock, and operating to return the latter to its operative position.

The feeler-lock carries an adjustable shuttle-hunter, shown as a head 32 having a shank 33 threaded to enter a threaded hole in the front end 26 of the lock and passing freely through a hole in therear end27, a setting screw 34 serving to hold the hunter. in adjusted position.

The head of the bunter is adapted to impinge upon the front wall of the shuttle when the filling is approaching exhaustion, and before the filling is engaged by the feeler governor, to move 'the feeler-loek forward relatively to the governor and far enough to carry the upturned end 26 be ond the extension 28 on the feeler, there y unlocking the latter so that it may swing on its pivot theother direction is prevented by a stop 35.

Said stop .is shown as the downturned end of a plate 36 pivoted on the fulcrum stud 22'of 4 the feeler above the latter and projecting across a raised part 37 of the casting forming the governor or carrier, the part 37lhaving a slot 38 into which the stop loosely enters,

see 5. i

A set-screw 39 passes loosely through ahole in the plate 36 and into the part 37 of the casting', the upright edge of the stop 35 .bearing agalnst the inner edge. of the feeler arm 18. By loosening the set-screw the plate can be moved to cause the stop 35 to take u any Wear between the part 26 of the feelerock and the extension 28 of the feeler which 006 erates therewith, the set-screw retaining t 1e adjustment when made.

The casting part. 37 has a transverse, horizontal hole 40,-Fig. 7,-toreceive a spring 41, the free end of which bears against a pin 42 de ending from the feeler arm 18 and through a slot 43 into thehole 40, the spring serving to return the feeler to normal positlon when free to act. i 4

If the filling on the. bobbin D isin front of the feeler the face 17 thereof will impingeupon the filling so that the face 14 of the feeler-governor cannot impinge, as will 'be a parent from an inspection of Fig.- 1, and t 11s relative relation of the impinglng parts is maintained at all times except when the feeleris-unlocked and swung on its fulcrum to pprform its functional movement.

hile there is ample filling in the shuttle it impinges u on the locked feeler as the lay beats up, an the feeler, feeler-governor and feeler-lock are swung forward, withthe lay, about the pin 6 as an overhead fulcrum, the springs 12. and 23 a'ctin to return the parts as the lay retreats. T is action contlnues until the'filling has been sofar exhausted that it does not impinge on the feeler, as s'hown'in Fig. 3, and now the feeler-governor impinges upon the filling at D while the feeler idle,- but still locked, there being enough filling to prevent contact of the feeler With the bare bobbin. The bunter 32 on the 'feelerelock'is also held from engagement with the shuttle body until the denudation of filling has progressed so far-that the feeler 'should be unlocked,butwhen this point is reached theshuttl-body hits the hunter and moves the feeler-look forward, relatively to the feeler-governorjto release or unlock the feeler, after which the filling D impinges upon the governor and moves'all the parts forward. This continues untilthe filling at D is so reduced that the feeler hits the bare bobbin before the face 14 of the feeler-gov- "ernor impinges on the filling, whereupon the unlocked feeler is swun upon its fulcrum 22, its notched arm 18 1S brought into cooperation with the lug i and then as the parts are tles, to take'fup wear, etc.

swung forward about the overhead fulcrum '6 the controller t is swung. forward, the transmitter T is rocked, and the desired change in the operation of the 100m is efiected.

- By adjustin the hunter on the feeler-lock the instant it hits the shuttle maybe hastenedor retarded, so that the unlockiru of the feeler maybe adjusted as desired, to accommodate the changes in The ad'usta'b'le stop 35 for the feeler is rcadil manipulated'a'ndit enables me to prevent ostmotion due to wear between-the feeler and feeler-lock, and to maintain the. parts in the most efiicient cooperation. .i

By sustaining the feeler mechanism to swing backward and forward upon an over' head pivot parallel to the shuttle path 'I eta very easy movement and onewhich is e ected with a minimum pressure on the filling in the running shuttle. 1

By loosening the bolts 1 the bracket 3, 4 and all of the parts sus, ended therefrom can be adjusted toward or ironi the lay. I

When the functional movement of the feeler has been effected the backward move- .mentof the lay releases the feeler from en-' gagem'ent with the bobbin, andthe'spring 41 returns the feeler to normal position While the spring 31 effects return of the feeler-lock to its lockingposition, as well be readily un-.

derstood.

The feeler-lock is strong and durable, and

the feeler-governor and adapted to swing relatively thereto, an upturnedarm on the feeler-governor, a fixed support on which said arm is fulcrumed parallel-toan'd above theshuttle path, a spring to move the feeler I backward, and a feeler-lock which normally looks the feeler from movement relative to the feeler-governor.

2. A loom having, in combination, an overhead-suspended feeler-governor adapted to swingforward and back, means to limit such movement,- a feelermovable with and also relatively to the feeler-g overnor, both parts entering the working shui file to reopen ate with the filling therein, a feeler-loch the width of shutwhich normally locks the feeler froinmovontent relative to the feeler-governor, but

which, when filling replenishment is demended, is operated to release the feeler, and means indc'pewleni oi such operation oi theteereralock.

filling tmrause s ring to act upon the feeler-governor during t 1 e latter part of its forward movement.

4. A loom having, in combination, a swinging carrier movable forward and back at right angles to the shuttle path, a stationary, overhead pivot from which the carrier is suspended, a feeler mounted on the carrier and also movable relatively thereto, to enter the working shuttle and cooperate with the filling therein, and means which normally look the feeler from relative movement but which unlocks the feeler when filling replen-' ishment is demanded.

5. A loom having, in combination, a

swinging carrier movable forward and back at right angles to the shuttle path, and having an upturned arm rigidly connected with it, the rear end of said carrier being prolonged and constituting a feeler-gov-ernor toenter the shuttle and cooperate with the filling therein, a stationary, overhead andhorizontal pivot on which the up er end of the carrier-arm is fulcruined, a fee er pivoted on the carrier to swing in a lateral path, said feeler also entering the shuttle'to cooperate with the filling therein, and a feeler-lock which normally locks the feeler from pivotal' movement on the carrier.

6. A loom having, in combination, a

swinging carrier movable forward and back at right angles to the shuttle path, a station ary, overhead pivot from which the carrier is sus ended, a feeler mounted on the carrier and a so movable relatively thereto, to enter tlieworking shuttle and cooperate with the filling therein, a feeler-lock which normally locks the feeler from movement relative to the carrier, a spring to eihect backward movement of the latter, and means to positively limit such movement.

7. A loom having, in combination, a feelergovernor and a feeler both of which enter the working shuttle and cooperate'with the fillin therein, the feeler being mounted on the leeler-governor and adapted to swing relatively thereto, on u turned arm on the feeler-governor, a fixer. su iport on which said arm is fulcrumed parallel to and above th shuttle path, a spring to move the ieeler backward, a bearing on the feeler-govcrnor,

and a spring-controlled feeler-lock slidably to cooperate with the mounted in said bearing and which normally locks the feeler from swinging movement relative to the feeler-governor.

8. Aloom having,in combination, an overhead-suspended feeler-governor adapted to swing forward and back, a spring to effect backward movement thereof, a feel'er movable with and also relatively to the feelergovernor, both parts entering the working shuttle to coo erate with the fillin therein, a feeler-loek s idably mounted on tlie feelerovernor and normally acting to lock the "eelerfrom relative movement, a spring to operatively position the feeler-lock, and an iidj ustable' shuttle-hunter carried by the 9. A loom having, in combination, an overhead-suspended feeler-governor adapted to swing forward and back, a feeler movable with and also relatively to the feelerovernor, both parts enterin the working s uttle lin therein, abearing on the feeler-governor a jacent the f'eeler,

afeeler-lock slidably mounted in said bearing and having upturned front and back ends, the front end normal 1y engaging and locking the feeler from relative movement, a shuttlebunter adjustably mounted in the upturned ends of the feeler-lock, to efi'ect unlocking movement of the latter, and a spring to move the feeler-lock into locking position.

10. A loom having, in combination, a-

feeler governor and a feeler .pivotally mounted thereon and both adapted to enter the working shuttle and cooperate with the filling therein, a feeler-lock which normally locks the feeler from pivotal movement, an angularly movab le stop for the feeler, mounted on the pivot of the latterand adjustable .toward and from the feeler, and means to hold the stop in adjusted position.

11. In a loom, a stationary overhanging bracket provided at its upper, end with a horizontal bearing and having a slot, a feelergovernor having an upturned arm pivoted in said bearing, to permit forward and back swingingmovement of the feeler-govern'or, a stop-pin extended laterally from the arm and entering the slot in the bracket, to limit swin 'ing movement of the feeler-governor, afecler movable with. and also relatively to the feeler-governor, a feeler-lock which normally locks the feeler from relative movement, a spring cooperating with the feelergovernor adjacent its pivot to effect backward movement of the governor and an auxiliary spring on the bracket and adapted to cooperate with the stop-pin when the feelergovernor is swung forward, to prevent a jerky movement thereof and prevent shock.

12. A loom having, in combination, a feeler-governor and a. feeler both of which enter the working shuttle and cooperate with by the feeler-geyernor and -movable relatively thereto, a stationary fulcrum parallel to the shuttle path and on which the feelertgoyernor is mounted to swing forward, wind 'irom movement relatively to the feeler-gev- 'I ntestimOny whe reof, I have signed my heme to this specification, in the presence of 1C two subscribing Witnesses. 4 I

'AL'ONZO E. RHOADES.

Witnesses: l

- ALBERT W. EDWARDS,

EDWARD DANA Oseool). 

